Ready to Get Back to Work? Here’s How to Ensure Your Breast Augmentation Recovery Goes Smoothly

Planning your breast augmentation can be incredibly exciting and scary at the same time. Though hundreds of thousands of women have breast augmentation every year, it’s normal to be concerned about surgery, post-op discomfort, and the recovery process. If you are the type who thrives on side hustles, you have clients demanding your attention 8 days a week, or you simply don’t know the meaning of “9 to 5”, the prospect of downtime after surgery may seem especially daunting. Luckily, you’ll be back at it before you know it—particularly if you follow the following advice.

During your consultation, discuss your goals and timing concerns with your surgeon so you can both work together to come up with a surgical plan that works best for you.

5 Ways to Rock Your Recovery & Get Back to Work in No Time

1. Have a realistic view of your recovery

While many patients are surprised at how seamless their breast augmentation recovery goes, it’s important to remember that you’re having surgery, which is always physically challenging. Your body will still be healing and adjusting to your implants long after you feel mentally ready to take on the world again, so it’s important to take it slow if you don’t want to jeopardize your results.

Everyone heals at their own pace and different factors can impact recovery time, but here’s what you can generally expect after your surgery:

The first three days is when you’ll experience the most discomfort. On the day of your procedure, you’ll be able to return home with a designated driver after a brief stint in the recovery room as you wake up and overcome your post-anesthesia grogginess. The first night, you’ll want to enlist the help of a partner, family member, or girlfriend to help you around the house. Expect to sleep, veg out with a book, or binge your favorite show on Netflix for the first few days—not only is surgery exhausting, you’ll also likely be on prescription pain medication. Most of our patients are comfortable enough to switch to an over-the-counter pain reliever after a couple days.

Days three to five, you can slowly start returning to your normal routine, but you’ll need to continue avoiding anything strenuous. Things you can look forward to are carefully washing your hair (head to a salon to make it super easy!), driving (if you’re off your pain meds!), and having your surgical dressings replaced with lighter bandages. And while your normal workout is still strictly off limits, walking and gentle movement are encouraged. Try pulling your shoulders back and making little circle motions with your elbows to help loosen your muscles.

After the first week, many patients are able to return to desk jobs. Those whose jobs require heavy lifting, exertion, or lots of movement may need to take extra time off or adjust work responsibilities to avoid straining incisions or interrupting the healing process.

Around the three or four week mark, you’ll be feeling more and more like yourself and ready to chat with your surgeon about resuming exercise. With their okay, you can typically start easing back into some cardio and strength exercises, but running, swimming, and chest exercise will remain off limits for at least six weeks. Whatever you do, keep bouncing to a minimum—at the gym, in the club, or in the bedroom. You also may be feeling open to intimacy, but listen to your body, keep it gentle, and avoid manipulating the breasts.

Two months out from your surgery, you’ll be looking and feeling great. Your incisions should be mostly healed, though your scars will still need additional time to fade. While your breast implants may still be slightly firmer and higher on the chest, if given the “ok”, now is a great time to treat yourself to some new bras!

After about six or seven months, your breasts implants should be settled, all swelling and bruising gone, and incisions starting to fade with proper care. Congratulations—you’re looking fabulous!

2. Chat with your surgeon about techniques that can reduce recovery time

Different surgical and aftercare techniques can help make sure your recovery is as smooth and quick as possible. During your consultation, discuss your goals and timing concerns with your surgeon so you can work together to come up with a surgical plan that works best for you.

Here are a few things to consider as you and your surgeon talk about your priorities:

If visible scarring is your biggest concern….

Antsy to be able to enjoy your new breasts without scars? Advanced breast augmentation techniques and new and improved breast implants mean smaller incisions can often be used. If you want no visible scars at all, Dr. Pancholi offers transaxillary breast augmentation, where your implant is placed through a small incision in the armpit. These scars tend to heal nicely as the skin is not under any stretch and the incisions are placed in a natural crease already present in your under arm. While Dr. Pancholi makes incisions as small and inconspicuously placed as possible, the type of breast augmentation incision used will impact the likelihood of a visible scar.

While some great recovery tips & tricks are out there, never take random internet advice over the recommendation of your surgeon.

If you lead an active lifestyle….

If your top priority is being able to get back to work, working out, or working it at one of Vegas’s many great parties, resting in the beginning with gentle stretching can help.

Whereyour implants are placed can also impact recovery time. While an under the muscle placement is typically preferred, when breast implants are placed below the breast tissue and over the muscle (subglandular), the pectoral muscles are not impacted—and you’ll experience less discomfort, a quicker recovery, and the ability to resume chest exercises sooner.

The most appropriate implant type, incision location, and placement is different for everyone—and learning more and exploring your options is one of the best parts of your consultation, so come prepared!

3. Follow aftercare instructions to a T

It can be easy to fall off the bandwagon after the first week or two, but following your surgeon’s aftercare instructions is one of the most important things you can do to ensure you heal well and quickly.

The internet is rife with tips, tricks, and tutorials from other doctors and women who have had breast augmentation surgery. While some great info is out there, never take random advice over the recommendation of your own cosmetic surgeon. What worked great for someone simply may not be the best choice for you—and the results of, for instance, improperly massaging your implants or taking the wrong kind of supplement can be disastrous.

Proper incision care means less risk of complication and a greater chance your scars will fade nicely. Only use products recommended by your surgeon—certain essential oils, vitamins, or creams may cause problems or impede proper healing and scab formation.

4. Don’t overdo it at the gym

You don’t have to be a gym rat to get frustrated with the lack of exercise that comes with the first weeks of healing; even those who normally struggle through their workout routine will find the temporary bout of relative sedentariness difficult. But playing by the book is crucial to successful recovery.

After surgery, it’s not just pectoral muscle soreness or your new incisions you need to worry about—there are also risks in raising your heart rate and blood pressure, which can increase risk of bleeding and slow wound healing.

Resuming weightlifting or chest exercises too soon not only causes extra stress on a healing part of your body, it can also risk your results. If the breast capsule forms improperly, your implants can shift, appear lumpy, or settle into asymmetrical positions. Remind yourself of point #3 and listen to what your doc and your body are telling you.

Remember that your body is working in overtime to heal incisions, repair tissues that were disturbed, and acclimate to the placement of a foreign object. That’s quite the responsibility, and it takes time. Be patient and don’t risk a setback.

5. Work with an experienced cosmetic surgeon

Who you choose as your surgeon can make a huge different in your safety, results, and recovery. Dr. Samir Pancholi is a Las Vegas breast augmentation surgeon with years of experience helping his patients feel great about the way they look—as quickly as possible without compromising the safety and success of the procedure.

“Dr. Pancholi is awesome. After spending months, maybe years, online looking for someone that did natural-looking breasts, I found Dr. Pancholi. The recovery time was minimal. I was back to work in 3 days. I thought they looked great but really thought he did an amazing job when other doctors inquired about who did them because they looked so natural.” Actual patient